India,Bangladesh working on modalities for Agartala-Kolkata direct bus via Dhaka

India,Bangladesh working on modalities for Agartala-Kolkata direct bus via Dhaka

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Last Updated: Fri, Oct 12, 2012 15:00 hrs

India and Bngladesh are working out the modalities for launching a direct bus service From Agartala to Kolkata via Dhaka.

"We have proposed at the diplomatic level for a direct Agartala-Kolkata bus service via Dhaka considering the geographical isolation of many north eastern states including Tripura," Union Surface Transport and Highway Secretary A K Upadhyay told media persons on Friday.

The distance between Agartala and Kolkata through Assam and Meghalaya is 1800 kilomters, and would be reduced to 350 km by bus or road transport and could be covered in a day, once this service is activated.

At present there are bus services from Agartala to Dhaka and Dhaka to Kolkata and vice versa, but no direct bus service.

India has also completed the final survey for the 11.5 km railway line to link Akhaura in Bangladesh and Agartala, a project which New Delhi planned to implement for linking railways of the two countries, official sources said.

The Railway Ministry has started making the Detailed Project Report for the project and the central government has sanctioned Rs 2.52 crore for laying the railway track to connect West Bengal and Tripura through Bangladesh.

During Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to New Delhi in January 2010, India and Bangladesh had agreed to lay railway lines between Akhaura and Agartala. (ANI)